With a clatter, cooking began, and on one side, individuals with slightly larger string instruments than guitars started playing, resembling a guitar but a bit larger.
The atmosphere warmed up even before the meal began, and the warmth grew more intense. Carson’s tent was built under the largest tree, a bit away from the crowd.
That spot was the best vantage point to see what people were doing. As evening approached, Louis returned to the castle with Emma and two knights.
Ines and Charlotte tried to follow, but the child politely declined. The reason was that they needed to return and feed the cats immediately after returning, as they would sleep well then.
For the first time in a while, Carson felt quite relaxed. He looked at Ines, who was sitting brightly in front of the campfire, while drinking the wine he brought. Ines, who used to smile so well, seemed to smile even more.
At that moment, the cook appeared with a proud expression on his face.
The soup, accompanied by the rising steam, and a simple meal were served together.
“I properly showed my skills today.”
Carson accepted the food with a smile.
“It looks excellent at a glance.”
“Thank you!”
“For the upcoming dishes, give them to those people over there before me.”
When Carson pointed in the direction of the people, the cook turned to look. Then he smiled meaningfully toward the lord.
“Yes, understood. My lord.”
He answered cheerfully and returned to where he was cooking. As if casting a spell, the dishes were quickly completed. The festive atmosphere unfolding in the middle of the forest seemed to be complemented by excellent and abundant dishes.
However, at that moment, when a knight approached Ines and said something, she moved along with him. Unfortunately, it was precisely the moment when food had just arrived in front of her.
“Where are you going again?”
“What?”
Without answering Noah’s question, she tried to taste the food unconsciously. However, as she continued to reveal no expression, feeling anxious, she reluctantly stood up.
Now seemed like a good time to take a look around.
“Where are you going?”
Noah, who was eating together, asked, but without answering, she waved her hand and quickly moved away. Since there was no instruction not to follow, Noah put down what he was eating and followed her.
For now, Carson moved to the crowded area to meet Charlotte, the maid who always accompanied him. However, he couldn’t get to Charlotte. It was because the murmurs of the servants gathered in a slightly remote place were audible.
“No, didn’t they say they were nobles?”
In fact, the only nobles in the lord’s castle were Ines and Charlotte.
“I saw earlier that he was really great at loading luggage on the carriage. It must have been more than the other carriages.”
“Yeah, not long ago, the gardener’s foot got stuck on a rock, but he brought a crowbar and used it as a lever to pull out the foot.”
Sounds of admiration were heard from here and there.
“His face really looks like it hasn’t seen a drop of milk.”
“Yeah, that’s right. But haven’t you heard? That nickname.”
“Nickname?”
“Dorae Murder Attempt Suspect.”
“I’ve heard too. They say he set up a trap and caught people by the ankles.”
“Even now, over there in the forest, the knights are flocking to that maid.”
“Well, why?”
Hearing those words, Carson began to run, firmly believing that today, in these mountains, the prey wouldn’t be beasts but those damned knights.
In the distance, the sound of a commotion where people were gathered was heard. A bright light appeared under the pitch-black sky.
‘There it is.’
When Carson ran faster than before, Noah couldn’t possibly keep up with him. Noah now thought that something dreadful would happen in this forest soon.
If it was something related to Ines, the lord would spare no effort.
As Carson approached, a group standing in a circle like they were capturing something came into view. Those standing at the back were eagerly peering in as if they were at a live show.
As Carson arrived, he quickly grabbed the arm of a knight standing in the back. Then he plunged into the crowd.
“No, no.”
However, his actions abruptly stopped at the cheerful voice that soon reached his ears.
“Sir, it’s not done like that.”
Ines received a rope from a knight sitting opposite her. Then, she skillfully moved her hands to demonstrate tying a knot. Immediately, amazed sounds were heard from the surroundings. It seemed that the lord didn’t even notice her appearance but was deeply immersed.
On the opposite side where he stood, Glenn was looking at Ines with eyes filled with fascination.
When she laid the knot she made on the ground and casually threw a fallen branch lying around, the rope, as if alive, soared into the air with a sound.
Now the knights started clapping and cheering.
“Where on earth did you learn this, no, who taught you this?”
“Just over my shoulder…?”
“Using a rope is prohibited here, except for Montestera. So, we’ve never seen anything like this.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
